Oil-switch.



I APYLIOATION FILE?) SEC 1Q, 1905 16,031,479. Patented July 2,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w 0 5 6 m m Patented July 2, 1912 4 SHEETSSHEET 2 O O as Uwentor: Henr L5 izh,

AZZg

H. L. SMITH.

OIL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED DB J.10. 1906.

Patented July 2, 1912.

4 SHEETS SHBET 4v s ,UD. w r m A n L s m m 3 m n e a H & 3 A v w mm 5 W 5 MN M/ A w 9, FL m l 7 f M I HHHHI HHHHHH E S p h 2% a Q t E UNITED s'rirrne;

HENRY LAVRENCE SMil TH, 03: PITTSEKBLU. M.

ELECTRIC COMPANY f1 CURE? OTLQQ'WITCHI Appiicaiion filed December 1 Specification of letters E'itent.

intent eel Q 21%;" fill 23.

L936 Serial No To o whom t 1 1 concern:

lie it known that 1, HENRY L. Sturrn, a ritivrn of the United $tates. residing at littsfield, in the county of Berkshire and Suite of Mawuelmsetts, have invented eelinin new and useful lniprorements in t'iuitelies, of whieh the tollow a s1 fieation.

My invention relate: to oil-wvitehee more mrtirularly to oil :m'ilehee for m trolling eirenite of high voltage, Con tions often urine in eonneeiion with high tvnhion transm sion systems which render it desirzrhle to inatull oil-switehes at various points on the system, so that if desired any branch of the system may he cut out. without interfering with the reniaimlee sueh service it is desirable that the swit INS open automatically in ease an abnormal current 13 flowing 1r. ihe (-1] Quit, so ihai the (itnit may always he protevrech and that the switches he so arranged that they (1111 he eabily operated when desired, but to in f'fitilll the well known power operated switches, at snrh points would aild eonsh n ably to the cost of such sybtems, and would require the installation of some means; to furnish power to operate the switel'ies. Switches controlling the branches of a transmission system are opened and closed comparatively seldom, usually When there some derangement of the system or when work is being done on the branch or sert ion controlled by the switch. ll is therefore (lesirohle to provide an uil-switeh openirm zwtoniaiieully upon the oec'nrrenre n :zhnori'nal enrnnt in i "renit, and. uh may he easily and conveniently o r r hand 50 that the men who repair: working upon s rtion man-i gwiteh may operate it ni lmnt (ii :nlty when desired. 'hen theiswitch is I wl to control circuits of high tension it is tlesir' able to operate the trip'eoil for opening the switch upon thev occurrence of an abnormal iurront directly from the high tension oi! euit, thereby saving the cost of the tramformer required when the ordinary trip-e il [S operated from the high tension eireuiis,

since the cost of lftlllfifOI'TflCl'S inerear'aes very rapidly the voltage is; increased.

The object of my inventioi. i1: to proih" on oihswiteh minnhlroi controlling eh" of high roltage, hut Whieh, by e 7 changes, may be adapted for circa-lire greet, amperage; \Yhieh by hand if deeirerh thor n we" viewed for wer actuation iii power 'r mail.

which will open antomotimliy in case 3;)- normal currents are lowing through the circuit. or may he fl pped open by hznni when rleeirerl; whit l ":l=jl in ase f Condition easily operated whee ulmi mm i ii l he simple an require a: mi

' iineiiliiflm lining in arranged tl-it the mum of llmjuwspaer an may r or opened by hen-o. though p wer-lie ranting menus: r :ll'fftl; which opens min m I nor h held elo. ,el U1 e v: an abnormal our ren' flowing; Whirh hm improve l form of Oil-p0 oepeoisrtly wig" ,1

heah-iy liWfiIliS; and "whieh h meehanmn ope; J i 'f mm cimlr-rl in the morn ing with the use of il-t switeh is used to control Quits.

My invention also con which may he :lireetl" (:irenit" emirying high 1 current, without 1 al peihn e oi the Gll'tlt'ilt. 2: i a other rieiziile un iiilprore 1' l l the lliif'eliltfli on wflwi on:

ewyens when the of a trigreoil 1f -(l in 22 main n alternating using the ini oilyn 73: l 7 urt of the Willl l i r n I one of :a view or :1 pair oi a i, shown seelion: ra View of the p1!itlllt'l-HlOtlOil 1' main for newing the (ft-nth the nieelmnisi riev; oi the irin ele ation of tin l amend "1 v ew of llit' LOO switch for controlling a. three-phase circuit. The switch is mounted upon a supportin wall 1, which also forms the back walls 0 the cells in which the oil pots are placed. Beams 2 extend at right angles to the supporting wall and support fire-proof walls 3, usually made of fire-brick or similar material, and forming the walls of the cells for the oil pots, while caps 4, of insulating and fire-proof material form the tops of the cells. The caps 4 are held in position and the fire-proof walls 3 are strengthened by in'g the beams 2.

bolts assin throu h the walls and en a p g Each cell has a. bottdin o of insulation, and a removable door 6 preferably made of metal or other fire-resisting material; hence, the oil ots for each phase of the circuit are comp etely inclosed in a fireproof insulating cell or chamber rendering it impossible for an arc to strike from one phase to another.

Contact-rods 7, preferably of wood or other similar insulating material, extend through the caps 4 for operating the movable contacts 0' the switch, and are moved by an actuating mechanism for each phase, the mechanism being mounted upon the cap of the cell in which the contacts controlling that phase are placed. The actuating mech anism has a base 8 to which one end of a rocking-arm 9, composed of two parallel links, see Fig. 4, is pivoted, the other end of said arm bein pivoted to an actuating arm 1 oneend. 0 which is connected to a. con tact rod 7, and the other end of which is provided with forks 11 engaging the rocking-arms 9. A pivot 12 connecting the rocking-arm and the actuating-arm is surround-' ed by a spiral spring 13, one end of which engages a pin 14 carried by the rocking-arm, and the other end of which engages a pivot 15 passing through the forks 11 of the actuatin arm. This spring is so arranged that who the switch is closed the spring is under strain and tends to move the actuating arm 1') in a direction to open the switch. Links 6 are connected at one end to the pivot 15 and at the other end to links 17 by means of a pin 18. A if. 19 is connected to the pin 18 and to the ii'whing-erin 5), while a link. 20 is connected to the pin. 18 and to a fixed point on the base 8. The parts are proportioned to form a parallel-motion mechanism which will cause the contact rod 7 to move up and down in a right line, and the actu atingnrms are placed lengthwise of the switch structure, to reduce the width of the switch to a minimum, thereby saving floor space. A bell-crank lever having arms 21 and 22 is pivoted to the base 8, the arm- 21 being pivoted to one end of the link 17, the arm 22 being connected to operating rods 23, and also engaging an ad 'nistablc stop 24 when the switch is open. Extension s rings 25 are connected atone end to the base 8 .used instead of hand-operation.

mounted at one end of the switch; the base carries an adjustable stop 31, with which one arm of the bell-crank 29 engages when the switch is open, this arm being connected by means of the rod 32, the bell-crank 33 and rod 34 with a hand-lever 35 pivoted to a base plate 36 secured to the floor of the station, or in some bther position which will make the o eration of the hand-lever 35 convenient. latch 37 pivoted to the baseplate 36 is engaged by a spring-pressed plunger 38, which normally holds the latch in engagement with a-lug 39 on the hand lever 35, thereby holdin the hand lever in the position shown in ig. 7, which is the position assumed when the switch is closed. A foot-plate 40 is provided on the latch 37 by means of which the latch may be depressed out of engagement with the lug 39, thereby releasing the hand lever 35 and permitting the switch to open. Any other form of hand-operating mechanism may be used, and any suitable source of power may be In many ca ses where heavy currents are to be handled and power for operating the switches is available, a switch constructed according to my invention and provided with some power-actuating means would be desirable on account of saving of floor-space and other ad vantageousfeatures.

A rook-shaft 41 suitably mounted in the base 30 on the end of the switch, carries rigidly secured thereto, a trip-arm 42 and having a trip surface 43 engaging the toggle 26-27, and stop-shoulders 44 coiiperating with a stop-lug 45 to limit the extent of movement of the trip-arm. A spring 46 tends to hold the trip-arn in the position which permits the toggle 26-27 to remain over-set, as shown in Fig. 6, in which position the toggle forms a rigid connection between the bell-crank 29 and the operating rods 23. A trip-lever 47 secured to one end of the rock-shaft 41 carries a trip-rod 48 extending to a position where it may easily be reached by the operator, so that. if desired. the trip arm 42 may be moved by hand to break the toggle 2627 and permit the switch to open. As shown in Fig. 10, a crank 49. secured to the other end of the rock-shaft 41, is connected by means of connecting-rods 50 to cranks 51., each of which is mounted upon one end of a rock-shaft 52,

54 secured to the caps 4 of the switch. The

cranks 53 are connected by means of connecting-rods 55 to two automatic trip-coils pha e of the ('iICUit. i chwxi the: pfii'ir are in thQ position shoun in I t and 6 the PiiflQS and i 3 tcndi ig to open tho a ait-sh; but 1" ied by flit, ()\'0l-$i(t toggiv KER -2T cunnli: to txh hell-(Tank 129, which n turn is held in position through the con mentions to the hand-50ml "iwii abnormui Current flows through th airi'niiih tin- (roimccting rod Fig, '1), is movm upward, thoi'vhy moving the, 00mm mg -mi 5) iii" means of the cranks 53 and 5i and bringing? the tripping surfaw nguiiht the togg'iv 27. buckling it and filming it to (011111390 and thereby permitting thi ope-Ming roah 52 3 to move toward the loft under the intimenoe of the springs and and, open the Pi; hi

in-u Ugh t t-anion 'i uit is to he Hm ripping inechi the high ten- Jil n (irumi incurred by th s Hm Uinwffili moiiimzii noon lnrmhitors 56.

(:H'tifiti by the supp rting; 'hii l and currying a imsephite 5?, to the time! end of which is; pivoted a lever 58, 'nctomhiy of Whmi or simihn imiteriat with the upper edge huwhwi, as shown in Fig. 10 so as to wnt tho zmituniiiiution of dust and riirt.

i ii uiyHm-ii 39 is nimmimi in an iron yolw (i0. gii' t'oruhiy hnmmtva'i, the yoke hmng man-wt by bucket? ('31 SQCHTWl to the 03% Jim: :57 and prefembiv mode of'bmss or QM! i l L i I other hon-nmgrmt-lc material. A. fixed (0Y8 4).; rm to me yoke 60 projct into the owning; of the coii :1 shortciistni'ioe at one 0} out a movubie ours 63 in alinement with tho othw; and of the opening of the Vhrioir carried by an :n'nmture M. The SFUMiVi'i wan-lies a mi! (35 having adjustable litUPf" and ST iiififlliitti thvreon, one on '60 of u rm on 6% through Whioh 5 p; the w nning: through the 11' being iYZi' i 1-ii7i larger than the, NIH? oi tho .rott HI in ("M11 I ii wisiigw in i i(:- nit-um of adjusting whirh in turn are wonoma no of tho h-vm' tho othm' mounted to the rod is: i'mlli 'hfti and yr? (10;)1'924 i'm 1 position by a pm whic'ii iiil(fil;fil the rod. Tim -;t";21 i of opw'iiiiii z is 11' na'wi by the (mi of th i'mh tho i hoing' ii-iuimiiy under no the i0 v i.

1min circuit is thv iHlFV-Piitifi :T imseqfizztwis 9" in mi tin F nu win 'iingr being a it mounted LX s nk of 1t 1 the same termion as but are insuiatmi from tho ininniimof trip im-i-hunlmn o tho \wudwn or othoi Sulating iever 58 and insulating rod in and the only difference of i'iotsimiz-xl iwtwwm Hm various? nivtzii pm a i iii-1n is that. due to the one turminai of the insuiation of tho (-01% jected to severe Strain wits; of high \ohiugo.

hou. tho parts of tiw ti'i ping itwiw m'v in the normal pfititifil, 11 :xhown in 1 15 2''. there is a huge nil guip UL tin i'liii iiii'l ii- "iii'ilii is in noi'zimi {l is sutiu'imt to 12mm; tho 2,. i: ugzi sistance of the tripping means, the switch is tripped and the main circuit is opened.

When the switch is used to control circuits in which currents of great volume are flowing it is desirable to use a difi'erent form of oil pot from that used where the current is of high tension and small volume, and the improved oil-pot which I have invented for such service may be advanta eously used on any type of oil switch control ing current of great volume. It has been found that when a circuit is opened under a body of oil, contained in a substantially closed vessel, the are formed when the contacts separate is quickly extinguished, but when the current is of great volume, the pressure developed in the substantially closed oil vessel is very great, and it is necessary and desirable that the oil vessel should be of great tensile strength so that it will not be estroyed by the pressure generated therein in case the switch is required to open a short circuit. I therefore, use an oil pot made of some material having requisite tensile strength, such as steel. In the type of switch to which the improved form of oil vessel is particularly adapted, very little of the current flows through the contacts within the oil vessel when the switch is closed, practically all the current flowing through the walls of the oil vessel to a heav laminated contact in engagement therewith, but as the' steel oil pot is not well adapted for carrying currents of great volume, particularly alternating currents, I arrange heavy connectors of good conducting material in parallel with the oil Vessel, so that losses in cident to flbw of current through the steel oil ot are avoided.

Figs. 2 and 3 show means for controlling one leg of a 3-phase circuit, the current flowing through one oil-vessel, through bridging contacts, and thence through the other oil vessel. In the bottom of the switch cell insulators 76 are mounted, each of which carries a clamp 77 made of copper or a similar good conducting material, and through which connection to a Icad of the circuit is made: Each clamp is provided with shoulders or lugs 78 as shown in Fig. 3. An oil pot 79 of great tensile strength and preferably made of seamless drawn steel or similar material, and having the bottom so formed as to be engaged by the clamp '77, contains the oil, and is substantially closed by a cap 80 firmly secured in the end of the pot 79 with part of its upper surface forming a fixed contact. Heavy bars 81, of copper or similar good conducting material, of such cross scclion that a very heavy current may flow through them without causing undue heating, connect the lugs 78 with the cap 80, and current flowing from the clamp 77 to thecap 80 will flow through the bars 81 as well as through the walls of the pot. The caps 80 on the oil pots are engaged by laminated main bridging contacts 82 on the contact rod 7, while a shunt bridging contact 83 carried on the same rod is vided with contact rods 84, extending into the oil pots 79 and engagin with fixed shunt contacts 85 secured to t e bottom of the oil pots. The contact rods 84 pass through the insulators 86, firmly secured in the caps 80. When the switch is closed and the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the current flows from the line to one clam 77, thence through bars 81 to one cap 80, t ence through the bridging contacts 82 ing contacts 82 break engagement with the caps before the shunt contacts 84 separate from the shunt contacts 85, the arcing, therefore, taking place under the oil in the oil pots 79. In case of very heavy load or severe short circuit the pressure developed by the are formed when the contacts 84 leave the contaofs 85 is very great, but in the construction shown it is successfully resisted by the drawn steel pot 79 with the caps 80 threaded into the ends thereof, the bars 81 assisting, to a certain extent, the screw threads in retaining the caps 80 in the ends of the oil pots 79. i

It is apparent that the improved form of oil pot may be used on any switch required to control currents ofgreat volume, whether operated by power or hand. here a switch constructed in accordance with my invention is used to control currents of very great volume and is provided with the'improvcd form of oil pot above described, it may be desirable to operate the rod 32 by means of some power mechanism, such as an electric motor or a fluid pressure motor, in order to close the switch quickly and bring the requisite pressure upon the bridging contacts 82. Such modification I consider to be within the scope and spirit of my invention.

The operation of the switch is as follows: When the switch is open the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1. If it be desired to close the switch the hand lever 35 is moved in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the operating rods 23 to the right and throuh the parallel-motion mechanisms moving t e contact rods 7 downward to bring the contacts into engagement, thereby closing the circuit. The movement of the operating rods 23 to the right extends the springs 25, and a downward movement of the actuating arms 10 puts the spiral springs 13 under strain which tends, when the switch is closed, to move it to the open position. This tendency is resisted by the over-set toggle 26-27, the bell-crank lever 29, and through mm'ermm that time m the s tq'ing 9, 51 ce nun nee-t Hm .111, (PAL mmm'm 1 pov e1 enough to opei-ziti' 7 Ti; (inimtm'e and core :iwrefurm ennlin'ee to (We until the n amie rir nii' m": the ien-uicl gmetimliy 'mnpietutl. and this inm'ememu l? transmittal ilii'migli the tripping connecfirms to the trip-arm 12, causing the tripnine; 1 ace 4; to (5mm: into Contact with the toggle, it In :lntl lawnking the toggle When t t"; 1 WM 2? i lmikenl the force exwte-l ifllllfir-s 2i and 13 smili- (Ilia-Hi ti; mmte the (acts hf the. $"Wltill, and the parts ut the switch assume the p0 sitimn fil -OWN in V siti-on the Cil'lfulli is upen. As soon as the iv iii ii; n' mmi flat: trip-(Mil is deenergizetl anal 3w flowing mum may be than that wvei'li nt es. 1 and E2, in which pm M the armature :1

"What I claim as new and xiesire to secure by Letters Patent 01" the United States is,

'1 in an electric switeln the mmlfinatinn with a trip for said switch, of a solenuii 'im'nble more normally outside the Wind-- 0f the solenoid, and drawn into said. solenoid by abnernial current through the sn enoid, means for yieldingly counter-balnn ing the Weight of the core and maintain iug it in, normal position, and a connection between the core and the trip whereby the ti'i p is actuated when the core 1s attracted.

In an electric switch for alternating current circuits, the combination with a trip for said switch, of a solenoid, a, movable core normally outsidethe windings of the Aeneid, and drawn into said solenoid by almurn'ml current in the eirenit, resilient means for c0unterbalmming the Weight of the core and maintaining it in normal positiim, and a lost nintinn cnnnection between 7 :"I'i! wi l the ti whereby the core en i w it when, the core is 5v (tlHIiZht c reuits, the emnbimition with a trip ml switch, of :1 solenoid, a mnvable ewe ll ontsirle the. windings iii the sale- :apring's counter bnlnneing the weight oil? e011: illlki maintaining it;- in normal puml t lost m-w'ion llln'fellml between the 1d the trip whereby the more engages imp to move it wh n the core is partly thin tin: coil. and means for varying the mutinn in said connection. in an citrjt'ili' switrrh for alternating current \"ireuits the combination with a trip, of an eleutrumugnet, a movable armature for said eleetromagnet arranged so that the Self-induction of the magnet small when said armature is in nurmal unattrneted p0 izitiwn. yis-laizzbie wealth t'm' holding mill 1U"- mlillfe in nmnml pwsitiun, and connections between suit! unnatnre and mid trip in) am tmting'micl trip when illll armature at um-led I 5%. In an leetl'ie switch for alternating; current cii'eniti ilie (ii'flllblfltlllfili with n trip, a nwvnble tlllllilllll't arranged it} tliu, iH: un; m-t. sn'inll i mwnml p Hill holding ii 111 imgmzil :1. inst mminn eunneeti-zm be ill miniature anal i illtl trip for per i urnmtniv tn move tln'nugb part n? i .villniut nmviizg the, rip

ii. The iJO'HilElIHliiOil with an eleclriifl 's'li-ll in: mug ti trip, of member minim-ted 1 to M nute ii: anal th w-lily m n-n rmnfi, i n niim'nblv an i wiO-f'iJnHlil "fit arranged so miueiwn f finial magnet is i tarnmtun i in normal 1.11mi

tion, resilient means secured to said member for counterbalancing the weight of said armature and inaintamin it in normal osition, and means for ad uSting said resi ient means with reference to sa d member to vary the normal position of the armature with relation to the electromagnet.

7. The combination with an electric switch having a trip, of a member connected with said trip, to actuate it and thereb open said switch, an electromagnet, a mova le armature for said electroma net arranged so that the self-induction o the magnet is small when said armature is in normal position, a spring connected to said member and to said armature to counterbalance the weight of said armature andto hold the ar mature in normal sition, and means for adjusting the position of the end of said spr' on said member to vary the normal position of said armature.

8. The combination with an electric switch having a trip, of a member connected with said trip to actuate it and thereby open said switch, an electromagnet, a movable armature for said electromagnet mounted for vertical movement adjustably secured to said member and a block with which said armature has a lost motion connection, a spring connected to said block and to said armature to resiliently support said armature in normal osition, and means for ad justing the relative position of said member and said block to vary the normal position of said armature in relation to said electromagnet.

9. In an electric switch for high tension circuits, the combination with a trip for the switch, of a trip coil directly connected with the high tension circuit, an iron supporting frame electrically connected to one end of the windin of said coil and partially encircling sai coil to render said coil an iron ohd electromagnet, and an insulating support for said frame.

l0. In an oil switch, an oil vessel of great tensile strength, a shunt contact carried by said vessel, and a main contact in parallel with and carried by said vessel.

11. An ,oil vessel comprising a seamless steel pot, cooperating shunt contacts therein, a copper clam engaging said pot near the bottom thereo a copper cover for said pot forming a fixed mam contact, and copper bars connecting said clamp and said cover.

12. In an oil switch, the combination with movable main and shunt contacts, of an oil vessel of great tensile strength, and fixed main and shunt contacts carried by said ves sel and cooperating with said movable contacts, said fixed main contacts being connected in parallel with the oil vessel.

13. In an oil switch, the combination with movable main and shunt contacts, of an oil vessel of great tensile strength, carrying a fixed shunt contact cooperating with said movable shunt contact, and a fixed main contact carried by said vessel and inparallel therewith, by means of connections of greater electrical conductivity than the vessel.

14. In an oil switch, the combination with vertically movin main and shunt contacts connected to one ead of a circuit to be cont-rolled, of a seamless steel vertical oil pot, a copper clamp engaging the lower end of said pot and connected to the other lead of the circuit, a fixed shunt contact in the lower end of said pot, a fixed main contact attached to the upper end of the pot, and copper bars connecting said clamp and said fixed main contact.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of December,'1906.

J osnrn Insert, P. A. SMITH. 

